Jody Hice, United States Representative for Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, spoke to the Rotary Club of Covington Tuesday, April 25, 2024, about several big issues currently in the United States Congress.

Hice, who was a guest speaker at the Rotary Club’s weekly meeting, shared the number of Congressional Review Acts passed since January and discussed both healthcare and tax reform. He also talked about two current controversial topics.

Hice is in the middle of the nation’s healthcare discussion, having been one of the Republicans to vote against the most recently proposed bill. That bill, he said, “was not ready for prime time.”

The Congressman told the Rotarians that he is part of a group that has been in negotiations on a new healthcare bill throughout the last four weeks.

“We are going to see it pass,” Hice said.

The new bill, he said, would take high-risk individuals out of the system to be paid for by subsidies.

Concerning tax reform, Hice told Rotarians that Congress is working on three guiding principles. First the reform has to promote growth, second it has to be simplified, and third it has to “pull the reins in on the IRS”.

To promote growth, Hice said that corporate tax rates will be lowered from 35-20 percent down to 15 percent. He also said the tax code will be simplified from seven categories down to three.

“You’re going to see significant tax relief,” Hice said.

The Rotarians also were able to ask Hice questions on issue affecting them and their businesses. Some asked about prescription rates in a new possible healthcare bill and others about financial legislation and infrastructure.

The Rotary Club of Covington meets every Tuesday at the United Methodist Church of Covington. Lunch begins at noon, followed by a different guest speaker every week at 12:30 p.m.